Medication

If you need to bring medicine into the UK, you must first check that it is licensed for use.

You should always carry medicines in a correctly labelled container as issued by the pharmacist. If this is not possible then you should bring a letter from your doctor or a personal health record card giving details of the drug prescribed, in case it is queried by customs or in the event that you require additional supplies.

Be aware that some medicines which would usually be available over-the-counter in your home country might not be available in the UK.

In your main luggage

Bring with you

You should bring enough money to cover your costs for the first two weeks. You'll probably have to buy some basic essentials at the beginning of your stay, so we recommend you bring about £400. Do not bring large amounts of cash as it can easily be lost.

We recommend you bring travellers’ cheques as they are insured against loss and theft. Any bank or post office will cash travellers’ cheques.

Please only bring small items such as hair dryers and shavers. Before you bring an electrical item, you should make sure it is safe to use and compatible with the UK voltage system: 220V. You might need an international voltage converter and possibly a plug adapter that is British Standard compliant (BS1363). Usually, these converters and adapters are available in travel and luggage shops, electronic stores, pound shops and airports.

You can bring your laptop and mobile phone with you, but you should check it can work with UK electric supply. It is also important to make sure that your laptop and phone are insured for travel and your stay in Cardiff.

Students dress very informally in the UK, wearing jeans, T-shirts and jumpers. You should bring a warm jumper, jacket and waterproof coat and shoes for the winter and wet weather. We recommend that you don't buy too many winter clothes until you get to Cardiff.

You may want to bring formal clothes for special events such as a formal dinner, a ball or an interview for a job. You may also want to bring your national costume for international student events.

Don't bring with you

You do not need to bring bedding. If you're staying in University accommodation, you can order a bedding pack from the Residences Office before you arrive. This contains a duvet and duvet cover, single sheet, pillow, pillow case, hand and bath towel.

Alternatively, you can buy bedding cheaply from Cardiff Market, Tesco Supermarket, Primark or Shaws the Drapers when you arrive.

You do not need to bring cooking utensils. Your case will be too heavy for you to carry. Do not bring rice cookers, crockpots or other electric kitchenware. You can buy saucepans, plates, other cooking utensils and electric kitchenware cheaply from supermarkets and stores close to University residences.

Do not bring any food into the UK. There are many food items which are illegal to bring into the UK, including all dairy, meat and potatoes. You'll find that Cardiff has many international food stores and large supermarkets where you'll be able to find many ingredients available in your home country.

Sending luggage before your arrival

Unfortunately, we're unable to receive any of your luggage before you arrive in Cardiff. However, there are several companies that offer services to students to transport excess luggage. They can arrange for your luggage to be put into storage until you arrive, when it can be delivered to you.

We don't work with any specific shipping and storage companies, but popular companies include: